Ben Pamment’s heaviest weight was 157kg. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old said he suffered a serious knee injury playing football in 2014, and from there his health \u201cspiralled\u201d downwards.<\/p>\n
He had exercised through sport but consistently ate a \u201cterrible diet\u201d. When he was injured and getting no exercise, the weight began to pile on.<\/p>\n
By the time he had shot up to 157kg, he developed anxiety that prevented him from leaving the house. To get around this, he found ways to live in a cocoon at home. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d built myself into this little virtual world of playing video games and talking to friends online. I wouldn\u2019t need to leave the house, I\u2019d have food brought to me \u2013 it was so simple to do life like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pamment said he had often joined gyms in the past with the aim of starting to exercise, but ended up cancelling his membership.<\/p>\n
The work <\/b><\/p>\n
To start losing weight, he cut out all processed sugar, joined a gym and stuck to a \u201csustainable\u201d routine. In 11 months, Pamment went from 157kg to 70kg.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs cliche as it sounds, eating around the outside of the supermarket [where healthier foods are] worked for me [to lose weight],\u201d Pamment said. <\/p>\n
He also focused on eating when he needed to eat, not when he was hungry.<\/p>\n
When a craving stirred, he told himself: \u201cIt\u2019s five seconds of flavour for a whole hour of exercise to burn it off.\u201d<\/p>\n
After shedding 87kg, Ben Pamment decided to help others achieve their health goals by becoming a personal trainer. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Pamment conquered his fear of being seen in public by posting his journey online, showing his rapid progress. <\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone was so supportive. Who knows if I would have stuck at it if I didn\u2019t have the right people in my corner,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll my family is fit as well, so I really had no excuse to be the way I was. They tried to help me, but I was at a stage where I didn\u2019t want to be helped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pamment said if people could find the right gym with the right people, it is the perfect place to succeed and \u201ccome out of your shell\u201d.<\/p>\n
Helping others <\/b><\/p>\n
After transforming his own health and physique, Pamment decided to help others do the same. In February 2020, he began a personal training qualification through Cert 4 Fitness at Toi Ohomai.<\/p>\n
Now qualified, he started his personal training business, BP Fitness, on October 13.<\/p>\n
Payment believed he was different from other personal trainers due to his first-hand experience with weight loss \u2013 he could relate to what his clients were going through.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would have been nice at the start [of my health journey] to have someone around me that I could have looked up to,\u201d Pamment said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not trying to sell a secret blue pill. If someone wants to sit down and talk about exactly what I went through and what can help, I would never charge them a cent for that. I\u2019m happy to help whoever, even just by speaking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
No one\u2019s judging <\/b><\/p>\n
For those who are scared to start their fitness journey, Pamment said: \u201cNo one\u2019s judging them\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe best thing to see in a gym is someone trying to better themself. The quicker I can help them become more independent and happier, then that\u2019s the job done for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben Pamment can be contacted at: bpfitness@outlook.co.nz, on 0275258377, or found on social media as @bpfitness_nz. <\/p>\n